With High Expectations Comes Disappointment

As the final seconds ticked off the clock of yesterday's AFC championship game, I was filled with emotion. As a Jet fan, I was tired of hearing the phrase "same old Jets" and I thought the Jets were finally going to shed that "MO". Apparently I was wrong. Jets fans around the country finally bought into Rex Ryan and his swagger, bravado, and cockiness. Even before the season started, Rex pulled a Mark Messier and guaranteed that the Jets would win the Super Bowl this year. When the playoffs started it looked like Rex had molded this team into a well oiled machine who had one goal: Super Bowl or bust. Was it too much to ask of this team to beat Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Ben Roethlisberger on the road on en route to Dallas? Sure. After the devastating loss last night Rex looked like a man who was on the verge of tears. Now nearly 12 hours after the abrupt end to the season I sit reflecting on what just happened, which led me to think about the phrase, "there's always next year." However, they said that after the Devils playoff exit in 2004, the Mets heartbreaking loss to the Cardinals in the 2006 NLCS, and once again after the Jets loss last night, however, I've been waiting for that "next year" since 2003.